Marcus' Diet
by eugene123
Summary: Story that I did for homework... see if you like it. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

Marcus' Diet

"Marcus, if you continue eating a box of cereal a day you'll be fatter than a cow." Edna, Marcus' mother warned, "I'm dead serious."

Marcus knew when his mother was on the verge of grounding him for life so he stopped eating his cereal and stuffed it in his bag messily. Edna's arms were folded as she glared fiercely at Marcus warning him not to eat for recess or lunch either.

"Young man, you're already heavier than me, look at yourself delicate straight hair, beautiful eyes, straight nose, perfect nails, smooth skin and cute ears just like me but you have ruined your complexion with flabby arms and everything." she sighed pitifully, "I think that I have to set some rules to prevent your obesity from becoming worse."

Marcus dropped his bag in shock as his mother had never done anything cruel to him before and he's not ready to surrender his food nor does he give a darn about his complexion. He already looked perfect in his opinion so why is his mother so worried?

"Mum, are you feeling alright?" Marcus asked, "No offence meant of course…"

"I'm perfectly fine." Edna replied sounding as if he threatened to run away from home. Marcus felt as if he had been struck by lightning and then roasted and slightly salted to feed his parents.

"Your mother is right." Ben added, "You're even fatter than me, look Edna, he's fatter than me, ha ha ha."

Sometimes, Ben could be a little bit childish at times, even more than himself. He look on the bright side imagining all the possibilities in school, perhaps he will win the maths competition and receive a delicious 'Mars Bar'.

"Bye mum and dad…" he mumbled with a tone of sheer disappointment, "why now when I'm 12?"

They shot a nervous glance at each other and nodded, "Marcus, we need to tell you something… you have been sent a letter by the Guinness book of Records stating that you're the fattest person alive at the age of 12."

Marcus didn't need them to explain the reason behind their weird behaviour anymore as he understood it fully well. He bid them goodbye and headed reluctantly to school.

"Mr Hatchments, may I ask you a question?" Marcus asked his maths teacher politely.

"Fire away Marcus."

"Am I fat?" Marcus asked feeling his face go slightly red.

"Um well…" Mr Hatchments considered for a while what to say, "if you're kind to people then it doesn't matter if you're fat or not Marcus."

"But am I fat?"

"N… Yes Marcus you are a little plumb."

Marcus felt as he had been stabbed. He tried passing the day without looking anyone in the eye or speaking at all…

"Marcus, please stay behind after class." Mr Hatchments instructed. He felt his face glow red again as eyes all over the room fixed onto his sluggish body. Marcus did his work as instructed in the tiny classroom until the bell rang then hoping to pack up quickly so Mr Hatchment doesn't remember the detention sentence that he gave Marcus earlier on.

"Marcus, I hope that you didn't take my remark too seriously…" Mr Hatchments told Marcus soothingly, "I noticed that you are beside yourself…"

"I know but it's just that I received a note from the Guinness book of record for being the fattest 12 year old child."

"WHAT?"

"See, I knew you wouldn't understand and,"

"Wait, no, not at all, I was just startled."

Marcus ignored the teacher and walked straight the door as he knew that the rumour would spread due to his foolishness.

He climbed the tree on the parking lot while waiting for his mother's car. CRACK! The branch snapped off and the next thing Marcus knew was that he was in a cubed shaped room and lying stiffly on a bed.

"Oh Marcus," he heard Edna call, "You're alive!"

Marcus attempted to reply but achieved a slight moan. Marcus couldn't move as a substance was strapped tightly around him and it made the temperature in his body rise by 20 degrees.

Edna's eyes were swollen and blood red and her face was pale. This was the first time he'd seen his mother in such a state of anguish.

"Marcus dear, umm…" Edna squeaked feebly, "the doctors can't do an accurate or thorough check to see if your organs are damaged because your body fat is obstructing the way of many tools."

That brought back all the memories of his obesity from the teacher's remark to his parent's rules. He groaned again and fell back on his back hoping that this is all a nightmare. To make sure, he shook his head violently from side to side whacking it on the metal bars of the bed.

Marcus' eyes watered due to the immense pain it caused him and stumbled back on his bed. Several minutes later, Edna left Marcus alone in the room with only the doctor who pushed him through a secret passage that lead to a darker room with lights shining at him. Marcus recognised this, he watched too much movies to not realise that this was an operating room and he was the patient! Why hadn't his mother told him that he was going to be operated on? They gripped his left arm and shoved a needle in his vein and pushed in the button which made Marcus fall asleep within the next five seconds.

Marcus' sleep was comfortable and dreamless but soon he remembered the operation, he decided to fight against the medicine. He jerked back and forth hoping to catch the sergeants off guard but he was still in a land of darkness. His next attempt of waking up was thrashing his legs everywhere but he didn't need to put in any effort and felt as if he could continue forever. Soon, the darkness swirled round and round following by a mix of many different colours ranging from white to black. Images flashed through his mind, Marcus was considering the fact that he was dead already as the movies always showed this before a death occurred. Not before long, the images reached out and patted his head which contradicted the thought of him being dead.

"Marcus…" the voice called, "Wake up!"

Marcus woke up with his whole body paralysed. He couldn't even twitch and the agony was tormenting him severely, his whole body felt tight and numb.

"ODY," Marcus groaned as that was all that could escape his breath, "ERY IGHT!"

"What was that Marcus?" Edna asked with a tone of sympathy in her voice. Marcus lifted his arm to examine it but instead, a much thinner arm emerged from the corner of his eyes.

"HAT HE ELL S HIS!" Marcus bellowed but the words couldn't come out right.

"What's wrong dear?" Edna asked.

"It's probably the operation," Ben said, "I think he can't pronounce the words probably because of all the intense surgery. He is missing the first letter of every word he says."

"ES!" Marcus groaned.

Marcus was still deep in thought about his hand and why it was so unhuman to him. When Edna opened the door to his room the truth revealed itself… he wasn't himself anymore! He looked similar except his size, it seemed to have halved itself and now Marcus was the size of everyone around him. I need food, Marcus thought as he limped down the stairs towards the pantry but when he opened it he was shocked. Everything was low in fat and oil; all the luxurious chocolate bars have vanished and had been replaced with yogurt bars which are all 99 fat free and muesli bars.

"UM!" Marcus bellowed, "HAT S HIS UNK!"

"Edna," Ben interrupted, "He meant: Mum, what is this junk!"

Edna walked into the kitchen and explained to Marcus why she had to keep him slim to build his self esteem and limit the attention about being obese.

"You have to bide by the rules alright?" Edna ordered Marcus sternly, "I have three chocolate bars in my closet and I am entrusting you not to consume them alright?"

"Es other…" Marcus replied.  
"He said…" Ben interrupted Edna from speaking.

"I know and I don't need a translator!"

That day, Marcus could finally say he slept well without any regrets and with confidence. When Marcus awoke the next morning, he was still in a jolly mood as his voice recovered but he was craving for a chocolate bar… he decided that the cruelty of keeping a chocolate bar but not being able to eat it was a severe punishment that Marcus couldn't bear with. He tip toed towards the closet in the master bedroom and opened the door stealthily. He crawled towards the closet and pulled it slightly but… that triggered the alarm.

"Marcus Ben Limin," Edna screeched, "I have warned you but you still insisted on eating one, I am very disappointed in you."

That statement made Marcus seriously regret stealing the cookie. All day during school, he felt a tingling sensation that he had never felt before, he believed that this was courage and confidence.

"Marcus," Mr Hatchments called from the front on the class, "Please stay back after school."

That caused a few laughs and sneers from his classmates. Marcus didn't let that spoil his perfect day but instead ignored it completely. After the siren's ring stopped echoing through the school Marcus headed towards the teacher without fear and asked, "Why are you keeping me in?"

"I can see that your self esteem has boosted after the surgery you had."

"What makes you think that it wasn't a splendid diet?" Marcus replied focusing not to give away the truth of how he lost 50kg in a day's period.

Mr. Hatchments stared at Marcus maintaining eye-contact for five minutes. Marcus had a spine-tingling thought that Mr. Hatchments could read his mind but didn't say anything in case he was overheard.

"You're right Marcus," Mr. Hatchments said slyly, "I can read your mind."

Marcus took a step back from this maniac and then another and after three horrifying minutes, Marcus broke into a sprint and ran all the way home.

"Mum, mum!" Marcus yelled, "Mr. Hatchments, he can read minds…"

Edna snorted with laughter, "What's next, cows swim?"

"I'm serious!"

Edna beckoned Marcus to follow her and lead him to the car. He swung open the door and leapt in. Edna drove for a long time before stopping in a building, then, she lead Marcus up to an office with a sign saying: 'Psychiatrist Gregory'.

"I'm not mental mum!" Marcus bellowed in fury.

"Marcus here has had intensive surgery and I think it has affected his mind."

Several minutes later, a bold man stepped out of a door and called for patient 8D which was Marcus…

"Marcus, what's wrong?" Gregory the psychiatrist asked.

"Nothing." Marcus lied, the machine beeped loudly.

"Please tell the truth."

"Fine, I'm not mental or anything but my teacher can read minds."

The machine glowed green.

"How do you know for sure?"

Marcus explained the whole story while the psychiatrist scribbled down notes.

"Interesting…"

After an hour with this curious psychiatrist, I was allowed to leave. I watched with curiosity as Edna and Gregory chattered non-stop for fifteen minutes, then, mum took me out of the building with a file clutched tightly in her hand.

"What's wrong mum?" I asked while Edna was driving me home.

"Your guilt seemed to have affected your behaviour today," Edna replied, "Remember the cookie?"

"Oh, that…"

"Vow that you'll not eat too much fatty foods and I'll be fine."

"Why don't you design a set of rules?"

"Great idea Marcus."

When we returned home, Edna designed a set of rules that all members of the family must bide. The rules were:

_Eating Rules of the Limin Family_

_Only one takeaway meal is allowed per month._

_We must all eat non-fatty food as much as we can and avoid the fatty ones._

_Eat only what there is in the pantry._

_Anyone beyond the mass of 80kg will be on a strict vegetable diet._

_Cookies will be only a reward for good grades._

This had been the five golden rules that we obeyed for the 84 years of our life and has been passed on to the next generation of children. There has no longer been a history of obesity in our family anymore due to this chart and Marcus Ben Limin; that also goes to show that your greatest regrets are your crimes and guilt is an incurable disease until you're forgived.


	2. Chapter 2

Marcus' Race

Three years of persistent hard work and dieting has paid off. Marcus has now finished his university and is now a successful runner. many people has tried employing him to be an Olympic runner but his dreams are to accomplish being the top state runner before being the top national runner followed by commonwealth runner then an Olympic runner. He is currently top of his state (Western Australia), the sole reason people want to employ him is that he nearly beat the world record for the two kilometres run.

Before the national competition, he has to tutor a student's work on the process of milk. Her name was Amelia, a year nine pupil of Leeming Senior High school with dark brown hair and turquoise coloured eyes. The tutoring will pay off the fee for the competition as Marcus didn't have a job nor receive huge amounts of pocket money. All he had to do was edit it when she finishes it and wait for the tuition fee to arrive but most of the time, Amelia would ask a lot of questions regarding the race and his fastest running records.

Marcus had to wait one day before the tuition started so he decided to practice where he always practised, in the dirt yard, the conditions and there are similar to the ones in the actual competition. On his way there, he couldn't help but notice someone tailing him but whenever he looked back, he would always be staring at his own shadow. As the entrance to the yard came into view, so did another person that seemed to be waiting for him. When he took a second look, the person looked very much alike Amelia and was Amelia when he had reached his destination.

"Can I run with you?" she asked, "I'm also entering the national competition."  
"What?" I shouted in shock, "You're also entering?"

"Sure as sure can be Marcus."

Several minutes later, Marcus knew that Amelia was a worthy opponent in the race as she could keep up with him without a trace of exhaustion on her face at all. That wasn't all that surprising when she still had the energy to sprint at the end defeating Marcus by a hundred metres. During Marcus' final few step, he noticed something weird; Amelia doesn't have a drip of sweat on her. How could someone be so fit?

"So, was the run fun?" she asked sounding perfectly fine as if she didn't run at all.

"Tired out of my wits…" Marcus replied.

"Get some rest; you'll have to mark my essay tomorrow man!"

The next day, Marcus woke with a feeling of dread. How could he win the race with someone as good as Amelia in it? Marcus walked over to Amelia's house with all his marking gear and fully focused on editing the work relieving him of all the stress regarding the race.

"Oh there you are," Arthur, Amelia's father said, "We've been expecting you."

Marcus took the essay marked 'A Cow's Life' and read it. It stated…

_Milk_

_By Amelia Timor_

_Milk is a vital part of food because many manufactured foods are made from it. These products include chocolate, cheese and cake and we know that all of them are eaten everyday and even used to create other products such as cheese inside sandwich (can you imagine a birthday without cake?). So without milk, many luxuries that we have today will be gone but the real question is where does milk mainly come from?_

_Does it come from a cup, bottle, box or factories? No, milk mainly comes from cows but not all the time, some milk can also come from sheep or goats. So city people, you're wrong, milk doesn't come from a box, it comes from a cow._

_The process of milk isn't as complex as you think it is. A life cycle of milk would look something like this: A calf is born, it becomes an adult, it reproduces and then milk can be squeezed out of its tits. This is all there is to milk, not that difficult to understand, from a simple cow comes milk and from milk comes chocolate, cakes and even cheese so now you can celebrate your birthday with a cake!_

_Milk is also a primary source of calcium. Calcium is the mineral that strengthens your teeth and bones and keeps you as fit as a cow. The next time you're offered a choice between milk and coke, make the right choice and choose milk, the source of unlimited strength. _

"Um, don't you think that the last two words are a little bit exaggerated?" Marcus asked Amelia.

"No, not at all," she replied with confidence, "I drink milk day and night and even substitute it for water and look at me now, as fit as a cow."

That triggered a memory of yesterday but he forced it out of my mind and concentrated on the lesson instead. After a tedious hour of teaching Amelia, he knew that his English skills were outdated. The English language had changed beyond his wildest dream after he left university.

When Marcus was about to leave Amelia's house but the moment he touched the doorknob, Amelia asked, "Marcus, will you train with me tomorrow?"

"Why not?" Marcus replied.

Throughout the entire day, Marcus was wondering whether what Amelia stated in her essay was true about being as fit as a cow. Cows aren't fit, they don't run much but then, an idea developed in Marcus' mind: how about milk from a horse? Horses run fast as well as long distance right?

"Mum, can I have horse milk for breakfast tomorrow?" Marcus asked.

"Horse milk is cheap and taste disgusting, why would anyone want it?" Edna asked back. I treated that as a rhetorical question.

Edna was right, the milk did taste like dung (not like Marcus eats dung!).

"What is this low quality drink Edna?" Ben asked.

"Horse milk, Marcus requested to have some for breakfast." replied Edna.

"Bye guys, I going for a jog and I'll be back at noon as I always do." Marcus informed them.

"Have fun!" both of my parents exclaimed in unison.

Amelia was waiting for Marcus at the dirt yard as cheerful as a bird humming a tune.

"How's everything going?" Amelia asked.

"Perfectly fine so are you ready to jog?" Marcus asked back.

"Jog?" Amelia shrieked, "I don't jog, I run."

"Right…"

As usual, she was defeated Marcus but at the end, the difference had been smaller. Did Marcus become faster, Amelia become slower, both or sheer luck?

"I see you've headed the advice from my essay and drunk some milk." Amelia stated sounding extremely confident about what she just said.

"Correct," he replied, "how did you know?"

"The milk does make you faster, jeez, haven't you noticed?"

They walked back to the start of the dirt yard, bided each other goodbye and took off their own way. On the way back, Marcus had a feeling that he was being followed yet again but chose to ignore it and continue walking.

When Marcus arrived in the safety of his home, he leapt onto the couch and turned on the television. He could feel himself doze off…

"Marcus!" a voice called "stand up and win the national championship!"

Just then he could see the finish line and he was only centimetres from it but someone was right beside him, it was… Amelia! The race progressed in slow motion; her hand reached out and touched the finishing line milliseconds before Marcus'. Now, Marcus was a mere runner up but he still won't let that stop him from becoming the top runner but the crowd was silent when they mentioned his name.

"AH!" Marcus woke with a startled scream.

That was all a dream; thank goodness it was only a dreadful nightmare that might not happen. I will train until I can train no more, Marcus made a mental note to himself, I must beat Amelia. Marcus woke up earlier than usual and drank the horse milk and ran for as far as he possibly could. He had a short rest before running again and again because of his sole goal: to beat Amelia.

"Take it slowly…" Amelia's voice startled Marcus so badly that he fell back and blackness swallowed him.

The next thing he knew was in a hospital (again). The race would start in a week and Marcus was stuck in bed? This was ridiculous to Marcus; he still wanted to win to badly so he came up with a plan…

"Hey, doctor!" he beckoned to the doctor in charge of me, "I'm alright now, may I leave?"  
"You may most certainly may not!" the doctor replied crudely, "Your health takes preference over the race."

He took the opportunity to sneak out of the room and onto the first floor and broke into a run when he heard yelling from my ward.

Marcus ran straight home not feeling the least bit exhausted. He felt thirsty however much water he drank to he decided to drink some horse milk and it worked, his thirst quenched! For the next seven days, Marcus did nothing but drink the 'low quality' milk and waited for the event to occur.

The time that Marcus had been waiting for had just arrived.

"On your marks," a man bellowed, "Get set and GO!"

He started to jog slowly for a few minutes to warm up before breaking into a run. Marcus seemed to be tied for fifth at the moment but Amelia was no where to be seen. He decided that she didn't enter the race and so it was a sure win for Marcus but when he started to rejoice, Amelia sped right past Marcus and was tied for first. Now Marcus was running with a lot of effort attempting to reach Amelia and the other man but he only managed to change his rank from fifth to second. Focus, Marcus thought.

"AH!" Marcus shouted at the top of his lungs while exhausting nearly the last of his energy. That caught the man off guard causing him to trip over; now it was between Amelia and Marcus. Amelia's pace became slightly slower and now tied with Marcus, both of them saw the finishing line metres in front of them and so they persisted with the searing pain in their waist.

This was similar to the dream, they were neck to neck but Amelia reached her hand out. Marcus took a very deep breath. He pretended to be hurt and place his leg right in front of Amelia's tripping her with glee. Now he stood a high chance of winning.

"Are you alright?" Marcus pretended to be concerned about Amelia but when the next person came into sight, he stood up and bolted for the finishing line coming first. After passing the line with satisfaction, Marcus decided to assist Amelia; after all, it was his fault if she couldn't walk anymore. Part of him was rejoicing while the other part of him was full of regrets. He walked towards Amelia and helped her up to her feet.

"Let's go." he instructed her as they limped together towards the finishing line.

"Yes!" Amelia yelled, "I came third!"

After the award ceremony, Marcus felt so guilty that he paid Amelia a visit and exchanged the medals.

"It was my fault that you tripped," he confessed, "I tripped you as I was so desperate to win."

"That's alright," she replied, "at least you confessed and besides we can still race at the Olympics."

"That's true," Marcus said guilt free, "and during then, I promise that I won't cheat."

"I owe you one for helping me to the finish line Marcus, thanks." Amelia thanked Marcus.

"Forget it," Marcus replied, "all I needed was for you to accept my apology."


End file.
